The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

II. PETER.

[The secounde epistle of Petre [The secunde pistil of Petre. GP. No initial rubric in AOQSVXY.] .] CAP. I.

[verse 1] SYMOUNT PETRE, seruant and apostle of [of our Lord O.] Jhesu Crist, to hem that han take with us the [Om. T.] euene miche [Om. V.] feith, in [in the V.] riȝtwisnesse of oure God and sauyour Jhesu Crist, [verse 2] grace [grace and pees be fillid V.] to ȝou `and pees be fulfillid [Om. V.] , in [bi V.] the knowinge of oure Lord Jhesu Crist. [verse 3] Hou alle thinges of his godliche vertu, that ben to [in to V.] lijf and pitee, ben ȝouun to us, bi the knowing of him, that clepide us for his owne glory and vertu. [verse 4] Bi whom [whom and V.] he ȝaf to us moost and preciouse biheestes; that bi thes thingis ȝe shulden be maad felawes of Goddis kynde, fleynge [and flee V.] the corupcioun of that [Om. T.] coueytise, that is in the world. [verse 5] For|sothe `ȝe vndir beringe [bringe ȝe in V.] , `or ȝeuynge [Om. QVX.] , al cure [cure, either bisynesse V.] , mynistre [and mynystre ȝe V. mynystrith X.] in ȝoure feith vertu, so|theli [verse 6] in vertu science [kunnynge O.] , `or kunnynge [Om. OQSVX.] ; in science [kunyng O.] sotheli abstinence, in abstinence forsothe pacience, in pacience sotheli pi|tee [verse 7] ; in pitee sotheli loue of britherhede, forsothe in loue of britherhede charite. [verse 8] Forsothe [For V.] if thes ben with ȝou, and ouer|comen, `or ben plenteuous [Om. QVX.] , thei shulen not ordeyne ȝou voyde, ne [neither V.] with outen fruyt, in the knowinge of oure Lord Jhesu Crist. [verse 9] Forsothe to whom thes ben not redy, he is blynd, and bi hond temptynge,

`or assayinge [Om. QX. or saiende S.] , receyuynge forȝetingnes [forȝeuenes Q.] of the [Om. O.] purgynge [purgingnesse X.] of his olde trespassis. [verse 10] Wherfore, britheren, more [be more V.] bisye ȝe [Om. V.] , that bi goode werkis ȝe make ȝoure clepynge [verse 11] `and chesynge [more S.] certeyn; sotheli [for V.] ȝe doynge thes thinges, shulen not synne [do synne V.] ony tyme. Forsothe [For V.] thus the [Om. X.] entringe `in to [into the O.] euere|lastinge kyngdom of oure Lord [Lord and sauyour V.] `Jhesu Crist [Crist Jhesu P.] `and sauyour [Om. V.] , shal be mynistrid to ȝou plenteuously [pleynly S.] . [verse 12] For which thing I shal bigynne for [Om. SX.] to moneste ȝou euermore of thes thingis; and sotheli I wole ȝou [that ȝe be V.] wityng [kunnynge V.] and confermid in present treuthe. [verse 13] Forsothe I deme iust, `hou longe [as long as V.] I am in this tabernacle, for [Om. SX.] to reyse ȝou in mon|estinge [verse 14] ; I [Om. SX. and I am V.] certeyn for [that V.] the puttyng [of putting G sec. m. putting awey V.] off of [Om. GNSX.] my tabernacle is swift [wist O.] , up [bi this V.] that [that at O.] oure Lord Jhesu Crist hath signyfied [singnefied, either schewid V.] to me. [verse 15] Forsothe I shal ȝiue werk [besynesse V.] , `or bisynesse [Om. OQVX.] , and ofte [eft O.] for [Om. SVX.] to [that V.] `haue ȝou [ȝe haue V.] aftir my deeth [deth, mynde of my monestingis V.] , that ȝe do the mynde of hem. [verse 16] Sotheli [For V.] we not suynge vnwijse taales, han maad knowun to ȝou the vertu and prescience [bifore knowing O.] , `or bifore knowing [Om. OQX.] , of oure Lord Jhesu Crist; but maad [we weren maad V.] biholders of his greet|nesse. [verse 17] Sotheli [For V.] he takinge [took V.] of God the fadir honour and glory, sich [bi such V.] maner voys sliden doun to him fro the greet glory, This is my `loued sone [sone loued X.] , in whom I haue plesid to me; `here ȝe [hereth S.] him. [verse 18] And we herden this voys brouȝt to [Om. V.] fro heuene, whan we weren with him in the [his T.] holy hyl. [verse 19] And we han a sadder word of the prophet, to which ȝe [we M.] ȝeuynge tent [entent X.] don wel, as to a lantern ȝeuynge liȝt in a derk [mysty O.] , `or mysty [Om. NOQVX.] , place, til [til to N.] the day bi|gynne for [Om. SX.] to ȝiue liȝt, and the day sterre springe in ȝoure [oure V.] hertis. [verse 20] First [And firste V.] vndirstond|inge [vndirstonde ȝe V.] this thing, that ech prophecie of

scripture is not maad bi propre, `or owne [Om. OQVX.] , interpretacioun [interpretacioun of man V.] . [verse 21] Forsothe [For whi V.] prophecie is [was V.] not brouȝt to [Om. S. eny tyme V.] bi mannus wille, but the holy men of God inspirid with [bi SX.] the Holy Goost spaken.

CAP. II.

[verse 1] Forsothe ther [Om. V.] weren [Om. V.] and [Om. O. also V.] false pro|phetes [profetis weren V.] of the [in V.] puple, as and [Om. V.] in ȝou shulen be maystirs [maistir SX.] liȝers, that [whiche X.] shulen bringe in sectes of perdicioun; and thei denyen [deneyinge G. sec. m.] `the ilke [that X.] Lord that bouȝte hem, `aboue ledynge to [and bringen on V.] hem silf hasty perdi|cioun [dampnacioun O.] , `or dampnacioun [Om. OQX.] . [verse 2] And many shulen sue her leccheries, bi whiche the [verse 3] weye of treuthe shal be blasfemyd; and thei shulen marchaundise [make marchaundise V.] of ȝou in coueitise bi feynyd wordis. To whom [whiche V.] `now doom [dom now PVX.] `sum tyme [a while agoo V.] ceesith not, and the per|dicioun of hem [hem now O.] nappith not. [verse 4] Forsothe [For if V.] if God sparide not to [Om. V.] aungels [aungels synnynge VX.] , but bitoke hem `to be [Om. O.] turmentid, drawen [drawen doun V.] with boondis of helle in to helle, for [Om. SX.] to be [verse 5] kept in to [Om. O.] doom; and sparide [he sparide T.] not to [Om. V.] the first world, but kepte Noe, the eiȝtthe [eiȝthe man, the V.] , bifore goer of riȝtwisnesse, bringynge [brouȝt in V.] in the `diluuye, or [Om. O.] greet flood, to the world [verse 6] of vnpitouse [vnfeithful V.] men; and he [Om. X.] driuynge [droof V.] in to poudre the citees of men of Sodom and of men of Gomor, dampnide [and dampnide V.] bi [bi the S.] turnynge upsedoun, puttinge [and puttinge V.] ensaumple [exsaumple SX.] of hem that weren to doynge [don S. do X.] yuel, `or vnpitously [Om. OQVX.] ; [verse 7] and [and he G sec. m.] deliueride iust Loth, oppressid fro [of V.] the wrong `of curside men [Om. V.] , and leccherous [verse 8] conuersacioun [conuersacioun of curside men V.] ; sotheli [for V.] in siȝt and heringe he was iust, dwellinge anentis hem that fro day in to day turmentiden with wick|ide [wicke SX.] werkis a iust soule. [verse 9] The [For the V.] Lord knew [can V.] for [Om. SVX.] to [Om. V.] delyuere pitouse men of [fro V.] tempta|cioun, sotheli for [Om. SVX.] to [Om. V.] kepe wickide [wicke SX.] men

in to the day of dome for [Om. SX.] to be turmentid; [verse 10] forsothe more hem that walken aftir flesch, in coueitinge of vnclennesse, and despijsen lordscheping, bolde [and ben boold, pleesinge hemself, and V.] , dreden not to [for to AG sec. m. OQV.] bringe in sectes `plesinge to hem [Om. V.] , blasfemynge; [verse 11] wher aungels, whan thei ben more in strengthe and vertu beren not aȝens hem the execrable [cursid O.] , `or cursid [Om. OX. either abomynable V.] , doom. [verse 12] `Thes sotheli [But thes V.] as vnresounable beestes, kyndeli in to capcioun [takinge OVX.] , `or takinge [Om. OVX.] , and in to deeth, blasfemynge in thes thingis that thei knowen not, shulen [and schulen V.] perische in her co|rupcioun, [verse 13] receyuynge [and resceyue V.] the hijre of vnriȝt|wisnesse, gessynge [and thei gessen V.] `the voluptees of [Om. V.] the [Om. ANOQSVX.] day [Om. V.] delijces of defoulinge and of wemme [wemme to be lykingis of day V. wommen Y.] , `with delijcis [Om. V.] flowinge, in her feestis [feestis with delicis V.] [verse 14] doynge leccherie with ȝou, hauynge [and han V.] iȝen ful of auoutrie, and vncesynge trespasse, deceyuynge vnstedefast soules, hauynge the herte excercisid [haunted O.] in coueitise, the sones of [verse 15] cursynge, forsakinge the [Om. ANQSV.] riȝt weie, erreden, suynge [sueden T.] the weie of Balaam of Bosor, the [Om. V.] which louede hijre [the hire ANOQSVX.] of wickidnesse. [verse 16] So|theli he hadde correpcioun [reprouynge OV.] , `or reprouyng [Om. OQVX.] , of his woodnesse; a doumbe beest vndir ȝok, spekinge with voys of man [a man Y.] , forbede the vnwisdom of the prophet. [verse 17] Thes ben welles with oute watir, and cloudis [mystis O.] , `or mijstis [Om. OQX.] , driuun with `whirlinge wijndis [whirle windis SV.] , to whom [whiche V.] the [Om. O.] thicke [thilke Q. ilke T.] mijst of derknessis is reserued. [verse 18] Sotheli thei spekinge in pride of [and X.] vanyte, deceyuen [and disseyuen V.] in desijris of flesch of leccherie hem, that `a litel scapen [a litil ascapen T. scapin a litil V.] . The [Om. V.] [verse 19] whiche lyuynge [lyuen V.] in errour, bihotinge [and biheeten V.] liberte [fre|dom O.] , `or fredom [Om. OQX.] , to hem, whan thei ben seruauntes of corupcioun. Sotheli [For V.] of whom ony man is ouercome, `of him [Om. N.] and [Om. NO. also V.]

`he is [his N.] seruaunt [seruaunt he is N.] . [verse 20] Forsothe [Sotheli N. For V.] if men for|sakinge [fleynge N. forsaken V.] the defoulinges [vnclennessis NO.] , `or vnclennesses [Om. NOQX. or vnclennes T.] , of the world, in [in to N. bi V.] the [Om. Q.] knowinge of oure `Lord and sauyour [Sauyour and oure Lord N.] Jhesu Crist, eftsoone [and eft N. and eftsoone V.] inwlappid [Om. N. ben wlappid V.] in thes [the same N.] , ben [and ben V.] ouercome, the latter thingis ben maad to hem [him M.] worse than the former. [verse 21] Sotheli [For V.] it was [were G sup. ras.] betere `to hem [Om. O.] for [Om. SX.] to not knowe the weie of riȝtwisnesse, than for [Om. SX.] to turne aȝen aftir the knowinge, fro that holy maunde|ment that was bitakun to hem. [verse 22] Sotheli [For V.] `the ilke [that X.] thing of verrey prouerbe bifel to hem, An [As an O. And an S.] hound turned [turnynge O.] aȝen to his woom [womyt A. vome GT. castyng up OX. voom P. vomyt QS. spuyng V.] , `or castyng vp [Om. OX.] , and a [Om. T.] sowe waschun in the [a O. Om. S.] walewinge [slowȝ O. vomyng S.] , `or slowe [Om. OVX.] , of cley [fen V.] , `or fen [Om. OVX.] .

CAP. III.

[verse 1] Lo [Loo, ȝe most dereworthe britheren V.] ! I wrijte to ȝou [ȝou, moost dere N.] this [the A.] secounde epi|stle [pistle PQ.] , in which I stire ȝoure cleer [clene T.] soule in [and AQX. bi V.] [verse 2] monestinge to gydere, that ȝe be myndeful of the [tho ASVX.] wordis, that I bifore seide of holy [the hooly V.] prophetis, and of the maundementis of [verse 3] holy apostlis of [and of O.] the Lord sauyour [and Sauyour V.] ; first witynge [wite ȝee V.] this thing, that in the laste dayes illusours [deceyuours O. scorneris V.] , `or scorners, or deceyuours [Om. O. or scorners Q. either disseyuouris V. or disseyueris X.] , shulen come [bicome T.] in deceyt, goynge aftir hir [verse 4] owne coueitinges, seiynge, Where is biheste [the beheste X.] , or the [Om. Q.] comyng, of him? forsothe [for forsothe S. For V.] sith fadirs slepten [slepten, either dijeden V.] , so alle thinges lasten fro the bigynnynge of creature. [verse 5] Sotheli it daarith [is hid fro V.] hem willinge this thing, that heuenes weren bifore [first O.] , and the [Om. O.] erthe of watir and bi watir beynge, `or stondinge [Om. Q.] , [verse 6] to gydere bi Goddis word; bi whiche thingis `that ilke [that thilk G. thilke S. that X.] world clensid thanne perischide. [verse 7] Forsothe the [Om. S.] heuenes that now ben, and the erthe [erthe ben put aȝen V.] , bi the same word

`put aȝen [and V.] , ben kept to fijr [the fier N.] in to the day of dome and perdicioun [lesyng O.] of vnpitouse men. [verse 8] Forsothe, ȝe [my O.] moost dere, oo thing `daare ȝou not [be not hid to ȝou V.] , `or be not unknowun [Om. OVX.] , for [that V.] oo day anentis God as [is as V.] a [Om. N.] thousynd ȝeeres [ȝer X.] , and a thousynd ȝeer [ȝeeris ANOQV.] as [ben as V.] oo day. [verse 9] The Lord tarieth not his biheest [bihestis X.] , as `sum men [summen AGT. summe NQS.] gessen [wenen N.] , but he doith paciently for ȝou, `not willinge [and wole not V.] ony [that eny men V.] for [Om. SVX.] to [Om. V.] perische, but [but that V.] alle for [Om. SVX.] to [Om. V.] turne aȝen to penaunce. [verse 10] Forsothe the day of the [oure O.] Lord shal come as a theef, in which heuenes with greet bire, `or feers|nesse [Om. OQX. or feerdenesse T.] , shulen passe [bipasse T.] , sotheli elementes shulen be dissolued bi heete, forsothe [sothely O.] the erthe, and alle werkes that ben in it, shulen be brent. [verse 11] Therefore whan alle thes thinges shulen be `to be [Om. QVX.] dissolued [dis|solued, either departid V.] , what maner men bihoueth [it byhoueth ANOQSX. bihoueth it V.] ȝou for [Om. SX.] to be in holy [verse 12] lyuyngis and pitees, abidynge [bydynge O.] and hiȝinge in to the comynge of the day of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, bi whom [which V.] heuenes bren|nynge shulen be dissolued, and [Om. O.] elementes [elementis schulen faile V.] bi brennynge [heete O.] , `or heete [Om. OQX.] , of fijr [the fyer O.] `shulen fayle [Om. V.] . [verse 13] Sotheli we abijden up [bi V.] his biheestes [biheest N.] newe heuenes and newe erthe, in whiche riȝtwisnesse dwellith. [verse 14] For which thing, ȝe moost dere, abijdinge thes [Om. O.] thinges, bisye [bisieth ANX. be besy V.] for [Om. SX.] to be founde to him in pees vnspottid and vnfoulid [vndefoulid STV.] . [verse 15] And deme ȝe the longe abijdinge of oure Lord ȝoure helthe, as and [Om. O.] oure moost dere [dere|worthe Q.] brother [Om. OQ.] Poul wroot to ȝou, up [bi V.] wisdom ȝouun to him. [verse 16] As and in alle epistlis spekinge [he spekinge G.] `in hem [Om. O.] of thes thingis; in whiche ben summe harde thinges in vndirstondinge, the [Om. V.] whiche vnwijse [vntauȝt O.] , `or vntauȝt [Om. NOQVX.] , and vnstable men deprauen, as and [Om. O.] othere scriptures [scripture S.] , to her owne perdicioun [perdicioun, either dampnacioun V.] . [verse 17] Therfore ȝe [Om. S.] , britheren, bifore witynge kepe [kepith QSX.] ȝou [ȝoure GQT.] silf, lest ȝe ouerled, `or deceyued [Om. X.] , bi errour of

vnwijse men, falle [ȝee falle S.] awey fro ȝoure owne sadnesse. [verse 18] Forsothe [But V.] wexe ȝe in grace [the grace AGNOSTVXY.] and knowinge of oure Lord Jhesu Crist and oure Sauyour; to him [him be V.] glory and [bothe V.] now and in to [Om. S.] the day of euerelastingenesse. Amen.

Heere endeth the secounde pistle of seynt Petre, and now bigynneth the first pistle of seynt Joon [From A. Here endith the secunde epistil of Petre, and bigynneth the firste of John. N. Here endith the secound pistel of Petir, and bygynneth the epistil of Joon. O. Here endith the secounde pistil of Petre, and here bigynneth the firste pistel of Jon apostle. Q. Here endith the secunde pistel of Petre, and here bigynneth the firste pistel of Joon. VY. No final rubric in GMPSTX.] .